Source: AAS

Seventeen of Australia's leading scientists, including 10 working in the life sciences, have been elected to the Australian Academy of Science (AAS).

The new fellows include:

• Professor Tony Bacic from the School of Botany at the University of Melbourne for his work on the structure and biology of complex carbohydrates

• Professor Murray Badger from the Research School of Biological Sciences at ANU for his work on photosynthetic CO2 acquisition and metabolism

• Professor Bill Heath, deputy head of the immunology division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research for his work on the immune response to pathogens

• Professor Peter Koopman from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland for his work on developmental biology, molecular genetics and the SRY maleness gene

• Professor David Lindenmayer from the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at ANU for his work on experimental and statistical analysis of the distribution, abundance and population dynamics of vertebrate populations.

• Professor Nick Martin from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research for his work on the genetics of human behaviour and complex diseases

• Professor John Mattick from the Institute for Molecular Biosciences at UQ for his work on the structure of genetic systems in higher organisms

• Dame Bridget Ogilvie, based at University College London, for her work on parasitology, science administration, research and education

• Professor Patrick Tam, head of the embryology unit at the Children's Medical Research Institute in Sydney for his work on mammalian embryonic development

• Professor Geoff Tregear, deputy director of the Howard Florey Institute for his work on peptide synthesis, the chemistry and biology of parathyroid hormone and relaxin family peptides